Salmon With Crunchy Peanut Ginger Sauce

This Asian inspired dish of Salmon With Crunchy Peanut Ginger Sauce will delight your taste buds. The salmon is first pan seared to develop a crispy crust. It is then drizzled with a savory, sweet and slightly spicy sauce, topped with crunchy chopped peanuts and finished in the oven. The result is a salmon dish that is full of flavor…caramelized on the outside but moist and tender on the inside. The secret to salmon is to not overcook it.

Served alongside are fresh green sugar snap peas tossed with toasted sesame seeds and shrimp pot stickers. It is a delicious meal with loads of umami flavors from traditional Asian ingredients like soy, ginger, and sesame oil.

Salmon With Crunchy Peanut Ginger Sauce

Salmon With Crunchy Peanut Ginger Sauce

Peanut Ginger Sauce*

• 2 tsp. peanut oil
• 1 tsp. sesame seed oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (approx. 2-3 tsp.)
• 1/4 c. natural peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sweet Thai chili sauce
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 c. or more water for thinning the sauce
• 1 tsp. sriracha (optional)

Heat the oils in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add all the other ingredients except the water and cook until the peanut butter is melted and smooth. Slowly add the water a little at a time until the desired consistency. Makes about 3/4 c.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. Thin with water, if necessary, after being refrigerated.

*This sauce is delicious on chicken, pork and seafood. It is also great as a dip, tossed with noodles or used in salads as a dressing.

Salmon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• 1 center cut piece of salmon, skinned and seasoned with salt, pepper and a little sugar
• Peanut ginger sauce (several tablespoons, depending on the size of the salmon) from recipe above
• 1/4 c. chopped peanuts
• 2 scallions, chopped for garnish
• peanut oil for sautéing

Pour enough oil in a ovenproof sauté pan to just coat the bottom.  Heat oil until shimmering. Add the salmon (presentation side down) and cook for about one minute until brown, turn and cook an additional minute. Remove the pan from the heat, place salmon on a plate and pour the oil out of the pan. Return the salmon to the pan, spread the sauce over the fish and top with chopped peanuts. Place in the oven and cook for approximately six minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for five minutes. The salmon will still be a little pink and moist in the center. If you like you salmon more done, let stay in the oven a few minutes more but remember to not over cook the fish. Garnish with scallions just before serving.

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This is a mouth-watering dish…succulent, tender flakes of moist salmon that is both sweet and salty. It was delicious served with sugar snap peas and pot stickers but would also go well with steamed rice and other vegetables of your choice.

The flavors of Asian ingredients go very well with fresh seafood. If you like this recipe you might also like my Asian glazed salmon that you see below.

Asian Glazed Salmon And Slaw With Pad Thai Dressing

Salmon is a popular fish that seems to be available most everywhere. It has a rich and distinctive taste and can be cooked in so many ways. If you are not eating salmon, you should try to include it in your diet as it is a terrific source of protein and heart healthy O-mega 3 oils. I do hope you get a chance to try the Asian inspired salmon with crunchy peanut ginger sauce as I think you will enjoy its delicious flavor.